It is not uncommon for the kitchen to be the functional center of a home, with children, family and friends regularly gathering therein, enjoying the warmth and aroma of the space. It is not surprising, then, that kitchen design is considered a critical element of any home. Cabinets are perhaps the most important feature in a kitchen, defining the ambiance while providing necessary storage space for cookware, servingware, glassware, and so many other daily necessities. Cabinet functionality is relied upon every day in most households, and if poor, can present daily challenges to the smallest tasks. It is well recognized that proper layout and placement of cabinets is critical to successful functionality.
Proper installation of cabinets thus necessarily begins with proper positioning. This is directly influenced from the very initial stages of kitchen design. That is, whether a new home or a remodel, the first step in layout design is space measurement. Typically, a designer or do-it-yourself homeowner measures, for example, by extending a measuring tape along the width of a window, the length from one window edge to a wall, and the length from the other window edge to an endpoint, such as a doorway or another wall. Such measurements, added together, typically then provide a starting point, with placement of the sink to be centered under the window, and cabinets and appliances extending outwardly therefrom. A similar measurement is developed for each wall to be part of the installation.
These measurements are relied upon in defining the available options for cabinet configurations that will fit into the space. Computer-aided design programs, for example, receive measurement input and offer suggested arrangements, fitting standard-sized cabinetry elements with standard-sized appliances into a functional flow, and predicting necessary “fill” spacers for seamless presentation of the finished room. It can be readily appreciated that an error in initial measurement can bring about devastating consequences. Costly cabinets are not readily suited for reconfiguration, and are not typically accepted for return.
At the time of installation, again, measurements are frequently gathered, again by measuring tape along a wall, with cabinet installation beginning at a selected, measured point, and continuing therefrom. Walls that are not plumb, as well as errors in measuring tape placement, reading, and calculating frequently result in unexpected situations, such as discovering a corner cabinet with a gap, or even worse, a corner cabinet that will not fit or an appliance opening that is too small to accommodate the appliance. Some solutions have been proposed as attempts to minimize or eliminate such issues, however none focus on the front edge of a cabinet and each is disadvantageous in view of the present disclosure.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a need for a cabinet installation tool that enables accurate determination and marking of front edge dimensions, alleviating wall variation issues and providing consistent and error-free results, whether from drywall or studs.